In a thrilling showdown against Kurashiki, Creamline made a strategic move by fielding in the talented Filipino-Japanese middle blocker, Risa Sato, and it paid off handsomely.
Despite the team's loss to the Ablaze, Sato's impressive performance left spectators in awe.
The National University alumna played all four sets, scoring 10 points, including three kill blocks, proving herself to be an invaluable asset on the court.
For Sato, playing against Kurashiki held special significance as it allowed her to revisit her roots.
Growing up in Japan, she honed her volleyball skills at the high school level before eventually transferring to the Philippines for college.
Reflecting on the experience, she expressed fond nostalgia, stating, "I feel like I miss them, you know, their focused and distinct Japan style. I just miss it."
Standing at 5-foot-9, Sato earned well-deserved praise from Kurashiki's stars, including outside hitter Asaka Tamaru and libero Kaoru Takahashi. They acknowledged her lightning-fast spikes that left their blockers unable to catch up, resulting in numerous points for Creamline.
Tamaru, speaking through an interpreter, commended Sato's skills, saying, "Sato's spike is fast, so our blockers couldn't catch up, which is why she scored many points."
The encounter with a Japanese team in the 2023 PVL Invitational Conference delighted Sato, as this opportunity had been missing from the previous season's edition. In the 2022 Invitational, a Japanese team was set to participate but had to withdraw due to COVID-19 cases.
Nonetheless, Creamline clinched the championship that season by sweeping Kingwhale Taipei of Taiwan in a gripping gold medal match.
"I'm really excited because, of course, I'm up against a Japanese team, and I'm Japanese too. I'm thrilled because this time we can face Japan, right? Last year it was Taiwan, right?" said Sato.
Despite the loss, Sato firmly believes that the valuable insights gained from the match will fuel their determination to secure a victory in the final showdown on Sunday. Creamline will clash with Kurashiki once more for the title at 6:30 p.m., while Cignal and F2 Logistics will compete for the bronze at 4 p.m.
"We've learned quite a bit from this game, I now know how they attack, so we'll make up for it in our training for Sunday. We need to be champions," she said.
"That's the only mindset I have - champion."
